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Stable government at Centre is their priority

Prominent citizens of Dakshina Kannada list out their demands for new policymakers

‘Adequate funds needed to improve condition of national highways in Mangalore region’

‘The new government should take care of the basic needs of the common man’

MANGALORE: People in Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency will elect their representative to the Parliament on Thursday. Their expectations from the next MP and the new government are high.

A stable government at the Centre is their priority.

“When I go to vote on Thursday I will bear in mind that I have to elect a stable government at the Centre,” said Kalbavi Prakash Rao, former president of the Mangalore-based Karnataka Cashew Manufacturers’ Association.

“As far as railway network is concerned, Mangalore region has been neglected. A prominent growing city like Mangalore needs good railway network and better train connectivity. I hope the MP we elect will take up this issue seriously with the government,” he said.

Mr. Rao said that adequate funds should be made available to improve condition of national highways in the Mangalore region as the standard of the roads was not up to the mark.

The Government had been collecting education cess from tax payers for the past four years. However, government schools and colleges continue to be in poor condition without proper infrastructure, he said. Enough funds should be made available to improve government education institutes, he added.

K.M. Kaveriappa, Vice-Chancellor of the Mangalore University, said that a stable government which would take care of the basic needs of the common man was the need of the hour.

Skill-based education

Improving agriculture technology, strict implementation of population policy with proper incentives, strengthening strategies for conservation of water, supply of clean drinking water and recycling of wastes to reduce pollution could be the core thrust areas of the new policymakers, he said. There was a need to provide “skill-based inclusive education” to those sections of people who were not in the mainstream of society and who could not afford to take up higher education. Such education should enable them to get employment, he said.

‘Visionary needed’

Vamana Nandavara, Project Officer, Heritage Village, Pilikula Nisargadhama, said the prevailing political atmosphere does not encourage him to go to the polling booth. However, he would cast his vote, as it was his duty as a citizen, he said.

“It is inevitable for me to choose the best among the candidates in the fray,” he added.

Mr. Nandavara, former president of the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy and an expert in folklore studies, said that the condition of many internal roads in the constituency was bad. “The region needs an MP who has a vision for development like the late Srinivasa Mallya,” he said.

Mr. Nandavara said that the MP should be able to integrate people of all castes, creed and colour. Presently, society was being divided in different forms.

This should not continue, he said.

Ullal Mohan Kumar, who has been teaching Bharatanatyam for more than three decades, said that the new MP should be able to bring Central grants to the constituency for development works.

The country could have a single-party rule with a strong Opposition party, he added.